QC 


»  v^     / 

875 


UC-NRLF 


GIFT   OF 


SIPIEd-A.!.. 


IHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU 


TO  THE 


SEOEETAET   OF  AGEIOULTUEE. 


1891. 


Published  by  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  0. : 

WEATHER   BUREAU, 
1891. 


OF 


i. 

CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU 


IX)  THE 


SECRETARY   OF  AGRICULTURE. 


1891 


Published  by  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture. 


WASHINGTON,  1> 

\\  i;  \  I  m;i;    i;i   KKA.U, 
L801. 


OF 

CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 


U.  S.  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE, 
WEATHER  BUREAU, 

Washington,  J).  <?.,  October  1,  1891. 
Honorable  J.  M.  RUSK, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

SIR:  In  compliance  with  your  request  I  have  the  honor  to  submit, 
herewith,  the  following  report,  being  a  general  summary  of  the  opera- 
tions of  the  Weather  Bureau  since  its  transfer  to  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  on  July  1,  1891. 

Very  respectfully, 

'MARK  w.  HARRINGTON, 

Chief  of  Weather  Bureau. 


The  meteorological  service  was  duly  transferred  to  the  Department 
of  Agriculture,  in  compliance  with  the  Act  of  Congress  approved  Octo- 
ber 1,  1890,  which  provided  that  the  duties  of  the  Signal  Corps  per- 
taining to  the  weather  service  be  performed,  on  and  after  July  1, 1891, 
under  the  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  Agriculture ;  and  on  the  date 
of  transfer  I  was  appointed  Chief  of  the  Weather  Bureau.  The  Ser- 
vice has  been  reorganized  with  a  view  of  carrying  out  the  expressed 
intention  of  Congress  to  especially  develop  and  extend  its  work  in  the 
interest  of  agriculture.  With  this  provision  of  the  law  in  mind  esti- 
mates were  submitted  to  the  last  Congress  for  the  support  of  the 
Weather  Bureau  for  the  current  year.  These  were  favorably  con- 
sidered, thus  making  available  funds  which  have  already  enabled  the 
Service  to  largely  increase  the  distribution  of  the  forecasts  and  storm 
warnings  in  the  agricultural  districts  of  the  country. 

The  working  force  of  the  Bureau,  including  the  civilians  and  three 
commissioned  officers  of  the  Army,  was  transferred  to  the  Agricultural 
Department  on  the  first  day  of  July,  and  the  entire  force  was  reorganized 
in  accordance  with  the  Act  of  Congress  making  appropriations  for  the 
support  of  the  service  during  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 1892.  All 
t  he  re- nl  ar  employes  of  the  Bureau  under  the  Signal  Service  administra- 
tion were  retained  and  provided  for.  The  office  force  in  this  city  was 

417860 


*BEjfoRT  \>F.   nrBF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 


divisions,  designated,  respectively,  as 
the  "Executive  Division,"  "Kecords  Division,"  and  "  Weather-Crop 
Bulletin  and  State  Weather  Service  Division,"  while  other  branches  of 
the  work  in  the  office  were  continued  substantially  under  the  same 
organization  as  existed  prior  to  the  transfer. 

Although  but  three  months  have  passed  since  the  transfer  of  this 
important  branch  of  public  service  to  the  Department  of  Agriculture, 
numerous  improvements  have  been  made  which  have  been  highly  com- 
mended by  those  interested  in  the  work,  and  which  it  is  believed 
will  result  in  greater  benefit  to  the  country  at  large.  To  meet  the 
popular  demand  for  more  detailed  forecasts  of  weather  and  storms  in 
various  localities  in  the  several  sections  of  the  country,  the  observing 
force  outside  of  Washington  was  reorganized  immediately  after  the 
transfer  by  the  appointment  of  "  Local  Forecast  Officials"  provided 
for  in  the  appropriation  bill  ;  the  appointee,  in  every  case,  being 
selected  from  the  most  experienced  and  competent  observers  of  the 
service.  These  officials  were  assigned  to  duty  at  the  larger  cities 
of  the  country,  with  authority  to  make  predictions  for  their  sta- 
tions and  vicinity,  giving  the  weather  more  in  detail  than  the  Wash- 
ington forecasts,  which  they  would  thus  supplement  and  amplify. 
They  were  instructed  to  make  a  careful  study  of  the  climatology  of 
their  respective  sections,  both  for  their  own  use  as  an  aid  in  predict- 
ing and  for  publication  for  the  information  of  the  public;  and  were 
directed  to  give  particular  attention  to  the  effect  of  the  weather 
on  the  principal  crops  at  their  various  stages  of  growth,  so  that 
they  could  include  in  their  forecasts  reference  to  this  all-important 
subject.  The  extent  of  territory  for  these  local  forecast  officials, 
which  was  at  first  confined  to  their  stations  and  immediate  vicinity, 
has  been  extended  in  many  cases,  where  the  incumbents  were  con- 
sidered competent,  to  cover  the  whole  state,  or  parts  of  states  near- 
est the  station;  and  the  restriction  of  the  forecasts  to  24  hours 
was  removed  to  the  extent  of  allowing  them,  especially  in  the  har- 
vest season,  to  predict  the  weather  for  more  than  one  day  in  ad- 
vance, when  the  meteorological  conditions  were  so  pronounced  as 
to  make  forecasts  for  so  long  a  period  in  advance  reasonably  cer- 
tain of  verification.  It  is  confidently  expected  that  these  officials, 
by  close  study  of  the  climatology  and  topography  of  their  sections, 
and  of  the  crops,  will  thus  be  able  to  accomplish  most  effective  work 
by  their  forecasts.  While  sufficient  time  has  not  yet  elapsed  to 
show  the  full  result  of  these  changes,  there  is  ample  evidence  to  show 
that  they  are  appreciated  as  efforts  in  the  proper  direction  to  meet  the 
wants  of  the  public.  The  greater  frequency  of  articles  in  newspapers 
published  at  the  several  stations  containing  data  and  other  interesting 
meteorological  matter  also  shows  an  awakened  interest.  This  is  doubt- 
less the  result  of  information  conveyed  to  the  observers  that  a  per- 
functory performance  of  office  duties  would  not  be  satisfactory,  but 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.       5 

that  they  would  be  expected  to  study  and  endeavor  to  meet  the  various 
wants,  with  reference  to  meteorological  information,  of  the  several 
classes  of  the  communities  in  which  they  are  located,  and  thus  develop 
a  live  interest  in  the  service.  They  were  also  especially  directed  to 
seek  and  adopt  every  means  of  speedily  reaching  the  agricultural 
classes  with  the  forecasts. 

WEATHER  MAPS. 

The  weather  maps  issued  at  nearly  all  the  principal  stations  were 
found  to  be  frequently  so  poorly  prepared  as  to  be  scarcely  legi- 
ble, and  therefore  discreditable  to  the  service.  Particular  attention 
was  given  to  improvement  in  this  matter,  and  the  stations  issuing 
maps  were  informed  that  nothing  but  the  most  satisfactory  results 
in  this  respect  would  be  accepted.  In  place  of  the  custom  before 
existing  of  only  sending  a  copy  of  the  map  issued  on  Saturday 
they  were  required  to  send  to  this  office  the  poorest  copy  of  every 
issue  of  the  maps.  By  this  course  this  office  had  the  means  of  at 
once  knowing  when  a  poor  map  issue  was  made,  so  that  action  to 
correct  it  might  be  taken.  At  many  stations  complaint  was  made 
that  on  account  of  poor  material  furnished  them  the  observers  were 
unable  to  do  better  work.  For  this  reason  a  better  quality  of  sup- 
plies was  immediately  secured;  at  the  same  time  the  observers  were 
required  to  give  that  close  personal  attention  to  the  matter  without 
which  good  work  cannot  be  done  with  the  best  material.  •  The  result 
has  been  that  the  appearance,  legibility,  etc.,  of  the  maps  have  been 
greatly  improved,  and  there  is  now  rarely  any  complaint  on  that  ac- 
count. The  issue  of  maps  has  also  been  authorized  at  Albany  and 
Oswego,  New  York;  Charlotte,  North vCarolina ;  Charleston,  South 
Carolina;  Marquette,  Michigan;  and  PHrkersburg,  West  Virginia; 
stations  not  heretofore  issuing  them.  TheNedition  of  the  maps  at  all 
the  stations  has  been  very  largely  increased,  as  they  are  distributed 
with  the  greatest  liberality,  without  charge,  to  all  persons  who  will 
display  them  for  the  information  of  the  public.  The  maps  are  pre- 
pared at  the  stations  with  the  greatest  possible  speed  upon  the  receipt 
of  the  telegraphic  reports,  so  as  to  catch  all  the  mail  trains,  upon 
which  they  are  dispatched  to  postmasters  and  others  for  display  in 
cities  and  towns  that  can  be  reached  in  time  for  the  information  to  be 
of  benefit. 

The  weather  maps — which  until  a  comparatively  recent  date  have 
only  been  issued  at  Washington — are  now  issued  at  over  60  of  the 
more  important  stations,  and  arc  considered  a  most  important  feature 
of  the  service,  as  their  usefulness  is  being  appreciated  by  an  ever- 
widening  circle.  They  not  only  contain  the  forecasts  prepared  in 
Washington  and  the  local  forecasts,  but  also  the  data  on  which  the 
forecasts  arc  based,  so  that  they  may  be  studied  and  personal  conclu- 


6       REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

sions  drawn  by  every  one  engaged  in  any  profession  or  business  af- 
fected by  the  weather;  and  this  includes  nearly  all  classes  of  business. 
As  we  are  now  endeavoring  to  place  these  maps  where  they  can  be 
used  by  farmers,  the  following  explanations  may  not  be  out  of  place: 
The  data  embodied  in  the  maps  issued  by  the  Weather  Bureau  are 
the  air  pressure,  the  temperature  at  8  o'clock  (a.  m.  or  p.  m.),  75th 
meridian  time,  the  maximum  and  minimum  temperatures,  wind  direction 
and  velocity,  the  character  of  the  weather  at  the  hour  of  observation 
on  which  the  map  is  based,  either  8  a.  m.  or  8  p.  m.,  and  the  amount 
of  rain  or  snow.  The  charting  of  these  data  occupies  about  half  an 
hour  for  one  man,  and  as  soon  as  this  is  completed  the  isobars  (lines  con- 
necting places  or  embracing  sections  of  equal  air  pressure)  are  drawn 
for  each  tenth  of  an  inch;  isotherms  (dotted  lines  connecting  places 
having  the  same  degree  of  temperature)  are  drawn  for  each  ten  degrees ; 
the  section  or  sections  of  country  having  the  highest  and  lowest  air 
pressure  are  marked,  respectively,  "High"  and  u  Low.'7  The  former 
is  anti-cyclonic  and  the  latter  cyclonic  in  its  effects,  or  in  other  words, 
the  area  covered  by  a  high  pressure  of  air  usually  has  clear  and  cool, 
or  cold,  weather,  whereas  the  reverse  is  the  case  in  advance  of  and 
surrounding  an  area  of  low  pressure,  where  rain  or  snow  and  cloudi- 
ness, with  a  comparatively  high  temperature  prevail.  The  drift  of  the 
atmosphere  being  from  west  to  east,  the  charting  of  these  cyclonic  and 
anti -cyclonic  areas,  by  isobars,  is  necessary  to  show  at  a  glance  their 
respective  centres  and  the  directions  in  which  they  are  heading, 
graphically  portrayed  by  the  curvature  of  the  several  unbroken  lines, 
and  by  the  arrow  showing  the  wind  direction,  the  air  flowing  into  the 
"  Low  "  with  a  spiral  inward  motion,  contrary  to  the  movements  of  the 
hands  of  a  watch,  and  out  of  a  "High"  with  the  hands  of  a  watch. 
After  a  little  study  on  the  part  of  the  intelligent  observer,  it  is  evi- 
dent that  the  nearer  the  areas  of  high  and  low  pressure  are  to  eacli 
other,  and  the  greater  the  difference  in  the  pressure,  the  more  rapid 
will  be  the  flow  of  air  from  the  greater  to  the  lesser  pressure.  The 
isotherms  (temperature  lines)  vary  according  to  the  isobars.  •  If  a  low 
pressure  area  is  advancing  eastward  over  the  middle  latitudes  and  a 
high  pressure  area  is  moving  eastward  from  the  far  west  or  northwest, 
the  isotherms  will  assume  toward  the  perpendicular;  if  the  conditions 
are  static,  i.  c.,  that  there  is  but  little  variation  in  the  pressure,  the 
isotherms  will  appear  in  a  nearly  horizontal  position,  according  to  the 
latitude.  Cold  waves,  weather  and  temperature  changes,  the  proba- 
bility of  thunderstorms  or  other  severe  local  storms  are  easily  located 
by  giving  the  daily  weather  maps  a  moment's  study.  The  several  laws 
of  storms  will  gradually  unveil  themselves  to  the  mind  of  the  student 
of  the  map,  and  Un>  apparently  unintelligible  mass  of  Hues  and  figures 
of  a  day  becomes  the  guide  for  business  transactions  of  any  character. 
That  severe  local  storms  occur  in  the  southeast  quadrant  of  a  low  press- 
ure area  j  that  the  winds  will  back  from  southwest  to  northwest  if  a  low 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.       7 

area  pressure  moves  south  of  a  given  place,  or  shifts  from  northeast  to 
southwest  as  the  storm  moves  north  of  the  place ;  that  the  temperature 
rises  in  advance  of  a  storm,  and  falls  after  it  has  passed;  that  storms 
generally  move  in  the  direction  of  the  greatest  rainfall,  or  snowfall,  or 
where  the  air  is  most  humid,  are  all  facts  evolved  by  a  study  of  the 
maps.  It  is  desirable  that  all  maps  issued  should  contain  an  explana- 
tion of  the  meteorological  features  affecting  the  district  for  which  the 
map  is  published,  and  several  of  the  more  efficient  local  forecast  officials 
give,  in  addition  to  the  local  forecasts  and  data  on  the  sheets,  interesting 
synopses  of  the  general  meteorological  conditions  and  the  probable 
movement  of  storm  centers  and  accompanying  disturbances,  with  per- 
tinent reference  to  crop  interests.  It  is  only  when  some  change  is 
made  in  the  weather  map  that  it  is  learned  how  many  and  various  are 
the  classes  of  people  who  find  it  profitable  to  make  a  study  of  them. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  increasing  issue  of  these  maps  is  educat- 
ing a  constantly  increasing  number  of  persons  as  to  their  proper  use. 
It  is  commencing  to  be  realized  that  by  study  of  the  information  con- 
tained on  the  maps  in  connection  with  local  weather  signs,  practical 
deductions  as  to  coming  weather  changes  may  be  made  with  profit  by 
all  who  give  the  slight  attention  necessary  to  an  intelligent  under- 
standing of  the  general  principles  governing  the  movement  of  storms 
over  the  United  States. 

STATIONS  DISCONTINUED,  ESTABLISHED,  ETC. 

A  number  of  stations,  nearly  all  of  which  were  at  military  posts, 
have  been  entirely  discontinued  since  July  1,  as  their  maintenance  at 
such  points  was  not  considered  necessary  to  this  service.  In  other 
cases  stations  at  military  posts  were  discontinued  and  in  their  places 
new  ones  established  at  the  nearest  city  or  town  ;  as  it  is  considered 
desirable,  whenever  practicable,  to  have  the  stations  at  business  cen- 
tres where,  in  addition  to  securing  the  meteorological  data  necessary 
for  making  the  general  forecasts,  the  material  interests  of  the  commu- 
nity can  be  served,  by  the  forecasts,  reports,  etc.,  of  this  Bureau, 
rather  than  at  military  posts  where,  as  a  rule,  the  stations  are  only 
valuable  in  furnishing  data.  There  are  still  a  few  stations  at  military 
posts  the  transfer  of  which  to  business  communities  is  now  being  con- 
sidered and  arranged.  The  transfer  of  the  station  at  Fort  Grant, 
Ariz.,  to  the  Agricultural  College  and  station  at  Tucson,  has  been 
made  and  the  transfer  of  another  to  an  agricultural  station  is  under 
consideration. 

STORM  SIGNALS  ON  THE  SEABOARD  AND  GREAT  LAKES. 

As  to  the  >pecial  display  stations  where  storm  (wind)  signals  are 
shown  for  the  benefit  of  maritime  interests,  the  limited  appropriations 
have  not  permitted  the  establishment  of  auy  additional  stations  of 


8       REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

this  character  at  which  the  displayman  is  paid,  but  there  have  been 
several  such  stations  established  upon  the  urgent  request  of  interested 
parties  who  agreed  to  have  the  signals  displayed  without  cost  to  the 
Government.  This  evidence  of  the  appreciation  in  which  these  storm- 
signal  displays  are  held  is  further  corroborated  by  the  very  recent  com- 
munication from  the  harbormaster  at  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  who  stated, 
in  offering  to  have  the  flags  displayed  without  compensation  from 
the  United  States,  that  forty  years  experience  as  a  mariner  on  Long 
Island  Sound  had  proved  to  him  the  value  of  these  signals. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  appropriations  for  next  year  will  permit  the 
establishment  of  display  stations,  and  the  payment  of  the  very  small 
compensation  to  the  displayman,  at  all  points  at  which  the  benefit  to 
shipping  interests  will  justify  it. 

It  is  in  contemplation  to  give  special  attention  at  an  early  date  to 
the  meteorology  of  the  Great  Lakes,  as  related  to  maritime  interests, 
and  an  experienced  observer  has  just  been  appointed  to  take  charge 
of  this  important  matter. 

COTTON  EEGION  SEKVICE. 

The  daily  cotton  region  reports,  consisting  of  maximum  and  mini- 
mum temperatures  and  rainfall,  taken  by  special  observers  throughout 
the  cotton  belt  of  the  South  and  telegraphed  to  the  regular  observers 
of  the  Weather  Bureau,  as  centers,  where  they  are  tabulated  and  means 
telegraphed  to  the  other  cotton  region  centers  and  to  the  cotton  ex- 
changes in  large  cities,  meet  with  great  favor ;  and  this  year  especially, 
on  account  of  the  poor  condition  of  the  cotton  crop,  they  are  eagerly 
scrutinized  by  all  concerned.  Arrangements  have  recently  been  made 
by  which  these  reports  from  special  cotton  region  stations,  which  here- 
tofore were  sent  only  to  the  Weather  Bureau  centers,  are  now  trans- 
mitted also  to  the  several  state  weather  service  headquarters,  where 
the  in  formation  they  contain  is  used  for  incorporation  in  their  monthly 
publications,  weather-crop  bulletins,  etc.,  by  the  directors  of  those 
services.  At  the  urgent  request  of  those  interested  in  cotton  and  at 
some  expense,  which  will,  however,  be  justified  by  the  results,  tele- 
graphic information  of  the  first  killing  frost  at  every  cotton-region 
station  will  hereafter  be  included  in  these  reports. 

SUGAE  EEGION  SEEVICE. 

A  service  similar  to  that  now  carried  on  for  the  benefit  of  the  cotton 
interests  has  been  requested  for  the  sugar  and  rice  interests  of  south 
Louisiana.  It  is  designed  to  establish  not  exceeding  ten  stations  of 
observation  in  the  sugar  region  from  which  reports  of  temperature, 
rainfall,  and  frost  will  be  telegraphed  to  a  designated  center  daily, 
and  this  information  will  be  given  the  press  for  publication  and  dis- 
seminated generally  throughout  the  sugar  belt  in  bulletin  form,  for  the 
information  of  the  planters  and  factories. 


REPORT   OF    CHIEF   OF   THE   WEATHER    BUREAU.  9 

WEATHER  BUREAU  EXHIBITS. 

At  the  JSTew  York  and  New  England  Fair,  held  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
August  25-September  1,  an  exhibit  was  made  by  this  service,  showing 
the  working  of  a  Weather  Bureau  station,  including  the  instruments 
used,  the  issue  of  the  weather  map,  etc.  Maps,  bulletins,  and  other 
publications  were  distributed  with  the  greatest  liberality,  and  thus 
the  service  was  brought  to  the  attention  of  a  very  large  number  of 
people  who  heretofore  had  only  vague  ideas  of  its  operations.  The  ex- 
hibit met  with  great  favor  and  the  numerous  newspaper  comments 
were  very  flattering.  It  is  the  intention  to  make  these  displays  at  other 
such  exhibitions  so  as  to  give  the  people  who  attend  them  a  more 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  workings  and  objects  of  the  Bureau, 
with  a  view  to  their  participating  in  its  benefits. 

WEATHER  FORECASTS. 

Realizing  that  the  work  performed  in  this  branch  of  the  service  is  of 
the  first  importance,  attention  has  been  especially  directed  not  only  for 
the  improvement  of  the  weather  forecasts  but  their  wider  distribution, 
particularly  in  the  agricultural  districts. 

A  general  statement  of  the  weather  conditions  and  the  general  fore- 
casts are  made  at  each  report,  and  more  attention  has  been  given  to  the 
issue  of  the  forecasts  for  a  longer  period  in  advance,  which  accompany 
the  general  synopsis  of  the  weather  conditions,  and  which,  when  practi- 
cable, are  added  to  the  predictions  for  the  several  states. 

The  language  of  the  forecasts  has  also  been  revised  and  the  use  of 
doubtful  or  uncertain  expressions  which  are  not  clearly  understood  by 
the  public  is  avoided. 

The  following  is  a  general  synopsis  of  the  manner  of  preparing  and 
distributing  the  official  weather  forecasts  of  this  office: 

A  set  of  five  charts  is  prepared  twice  a  day  from  the  8  a.  in.  and  8 
p.  in.  observations,  showing  (1),  general  weather  conditions;  (2)  pres- 
sure changes  and  departures  from  the  normal ;  (3)  temperature  changes 
and  departures  from  the  normal ;  (4)  cloud  conditions,  maximum  and 
minimum  temperatures  and  changes,  and  local  weather  forecasts,  and 
(5)  dew-points  and  changes.  Reports  from  about  160  stations  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada  are  entered  on  these  charts. 

Tracings  of  the  isobars  and  isotherms  and  areas  of  marked  precipita- 
tion as  shown  on  Chart  1  are  furnished  to  the  lithographer. 

A  general  statement  of  the  weather  conditions  that  have  prevailed 
during  the  past  24  hours  and  a  general  forecast  of  the  weather  for  the 
succeeding  24  to  48  hours  is  then  made,  and  followed  by  a  detailed  fore- 
cast for  42  separate  states  and  districts. 

Reports  from  26  river  stations  are  entered  on  the  form  once  a  day  at 
the  a.  m.  report  and  forecasts  of  river  changes  made.  The  complete 
forecasts  are  set  in  type. 


10      REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

At  each  report  tables  are  set  in  type  showing  pressure  and  12-hour 
changes,  temperature  and  24-hour  changes,  maximum  or  minimum 
temperatures,  wind  velocities,  and  precipitation  at  each  station,  and  a 
symbol  map  is  prepared  showing  direction  of  the  wind  and  state  of 
weather  at  each  station.  Copies  of  the  forecasts,  table,  and  symbol 
map  are  furnished  to  the  lithographer  and  additional  copies  of  the 
forecasts  distributed  to  the  city  newspapers  and  to  the  telegraph  com- 
panies and  press  associations.  The  forecasts  are  also  distributed  by 
means  of  special  telegraphic  messages  to  observers  and  others  at  cen- 
tral points  throughout  the  country  to  be  by  them  distributed  to  other 
points  in  their  respective  localities,  about  90  of  these  messages  being 
sent  daily. 

Storm  warnings  to  the  lake,  seacoast,  and  Canadian  stations,  warnings 
of  frosts  to  the  sugar,  fruit,  cranberry,  and  tobacco  districts,  and  warn- 
ings of  cold  waves  and  dangerous  floods  to  the  threatened  districts,  are 
sent  whenever  the  conditions  indicate  them. 

Special  telegrams  to  individuals,  giving  forecasts  for  certain  specified 
localities  and  dates,  are  sent  whenever  requested,  at  the  applicant's 
expense. 

A  daily  cablegram  is  prepared  at  the  p.  m.  report  and  sent  to  the 
French  Meteorological  Bureau,  Paris,  giving  observations  and  marine 
data  obtained  from  reports  of  incoming  vessels  and  certain  other  data 
taken  from  the  p.  m.  charts. 

The  verification  of  the  p.  m.  forecasts  and  the  justifications  of  storm 
and  cold-wave  warnings  are  determined  and  percentages  computed. 

WEATHEE-CEOP  BULLETIN  AND   STATE   WEATHEK 
SERVICE  DIVISION. 

The  Weather-Crop  Bulletin  issued  by  this  Bureau  weekly  has  been 
greatly  appreciated  during  the  current  season  by  those  interested  in 
agriculture,  as  it  presents  truthful  statements  of  the  condition  of  the 
staple  crops  at  short  intervals,  and  these  statements  having  been  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  country  have  enabled  the  producer  to  become 
familiar  with  the  exact  crop  prospects  and,  therefore,  to  form  a  correct 
estimate  of  the  probable  value  of  the  product  in  which  he  is  interested. 

The  work  pertaining  to  this  branch  of  the  sendee  is  performed  in  a 
division  known  as  the  Weather-Crop  Bulletin  and  State  Weather  Ser- 
vice Division,  which  has  charge  of  the  preparation  of  the  weekly  and 
monthly  crop  bulletins  and  a  supervision  of  the  work  of  co-operating 
state  services,  reports  from  which  form  the  basis  of  the  crop  bulletins. 
This  division  also  has  charge  of  the  establishment  of  stations  for  the 
display  of  weather  signals  and  the  distribution  of  frost  warnings. 
Immediately  upon  the  organization  of  this  division  correspondence 
was  entered  into  with  the  weather  observers  in  several  states  where 
state  weather  services  were  not  organized,  and  this  correspondence  has 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.     11 

resulted  in  tin-  establishment  of  new  state  and  territorial  services,  so 
that  at  present  almost  every  state  aiid  territory  in  the  Union  is  pro- 
vided with  a  local  co-operative  weather  service  which  forms  a  channel 
through  which  the  benefits  of  the  work  of  the  National  Service  may 
he  conveyed  more  extensively  and  more  promptly  to  the  people. 

Since  the  1st  of  July  new  weather  services  have  been  organized  in 
Arizona,  California,  Florida,  New  Mexico,  North  Dakota,  Oklahoma, 
I'tah,  Virginia,  Washington,  West  Virginia,  and  Wyoming,  making 
the  number  of  state  services  in  operation  on  September  30, 1891,  thirty- 
nine,  and  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  cotton  growers  of  Georgia  it  is 
proposed  to  organize  at  an  early  date  a  complete  local  service  in  that 
state. 

While  the  organization  of  new  state  services  has  been  in  progress 
much  attention  has  been  devoted  to  a  general  supervision  of  the  work 
of  those  co-operating  services  previously  established,  the  desire  being 
to  greatly  increase  the  number  of  voluntary  meteorological  observers 
and  crop  correspondents,  and  to  effect  a  more  thorough  dissemination 
of  current  weather-crop  information  among  those  classes  of  people  most 
likely  to  be  benefited  thereby.  More  than  a  hundred  new  voluntary 
meteorological  stations  have  been  established  and  equipped  with  in- 
struments at  the  expense  of  this  Bureau  since  July  1,  and  nearly  as 
many  have  been  established  by  this  Bureau,  but  were  furnished  with 
instruments  at  private  expense. 

The  reports  from  voluntary  observers  serve  a  twofold  purpose :  For 
agricultural  societies  and  experiment  stations,  giving  them  accurate 
meteorological  data  on  which  to  rely  in  dealiug  with  experiments  on 
vegetation,  etc.;  and  the  reports  of  rainfall,  temperature,  sunshine, 
etc.,  are  utilized  weekly  in  the  weather-crop  bulletins  as  standard 
meteorological  features  for  the  state  or  territory,  while"  the  compiled 
monthly  conditions  are  utilized  in  various  ways  in  establishing  the 
climatology  of  the  state,  and  as  a  record  for  physicians  in  the  study  of 
the  relation  between  climate  and  disease. 

The  most  practical  and  most  highly  complimented  portion  of  the  ex- 
clusive work  of  the  state  services  is  the  issue  of  the  weekly  weather- 
crop  bulletins.  These  are  sources  of  reliable  information  for  all  in- 
terested in  agriculture,  following  up  the  season  from  week  to  week  so 
that  an  excellent  estimate  can  be  made  at  any  time  relative  to  the 
crops  of  any  county,  state,  or  the  country  at  large.  These  bulletins 
have  a  thorough  dissemination  in  all  the  states  and  territories  in  which 
state  services  are  in  operation,  and  are  highly  spoken  of  by  the  press 
and  public.  The  National  Bulletin  published  weekly  by  this  office 
<luring  the  growin-  season  deals  with  the  weather  oi  the  week  through- 
out the  country,  consisting  of  charts  showing  the  departures  of  tem- 
perature and  rainfall,  the  table  of  seasonal  and  weekly  departures  of 
like  data,  besides  giving  a  discussion  of  such  charts  and  tables,  with 


12 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 


edited  telegrams  received  from  the  several  state  services  showing  the 
actual  condition  of  crops  and  the  effect  of  the  week's  weather  thereon. 

DISPLAY    STATIONS. 

On  June  30,  1891,  there  were  about  630  weather-signal  display  sta- 
tions in  operation  to  which  the  Government  telegraphed  the  forecasts; 
90  stations  to  which  cold-wave  warnings  were  telegraphed;  51  frost- 
warning,  and  6  (California)  rain-warning  stations.  On  September  30 
there  were  over  1,200  weather-signal  display  stations  in  operation,  an 
increase  of  about  100  per  cent,  in  less  than  three  months,  and  with  a 
constant  demand  for  additional  stations  from  all  portions  of  the 
country.  Since  these  displays  of  weather  signals  were  for  the  immedi- 
ate benefit  of  the  agricultural  interests,  and  since  the  number  of  sta- 
tions in  operation  was  totally  inadequate  to  give  the  information  to 
the  people  of  the  country,  steps  were  immediately  taken  to  have  50 
additional  stations  for  the  display  of  weather  flags  established  in  each 
of  the  states  of  the  Union,  and  such  establishment  is  now  in  progress, 
Wisconsin  having  established  nearly  double  the  number  first  allowed, 
besides  having  perfected  a  system  of  frost  warnings  for  the  benefit  of 
the  cranberry  and  tobacco  growing  interests.  The  state  service  direc- 
tors in  the  tobacco  growing  states  have  all  been  instructed  to  perfect 
similar  systems  for  the  dissemination  of  frost  warnings,  the  result  in 
Wisconsin  alone  having  been  so  thoroughly  satisfactory  that  a  warn- 
ing of  a  killing  frost  for  the  cranberry  interests  on  August  24  resulted 
in  the  saving  of  over  one-third  of  the  cranberry  crop  (representing  over 
$125,000)  through  flooding,  whereas  the  remainder  of  the  crop  was 
totally  destroyed,  owing  to  no  facilities  for  protecting  it  from  the  pre- 
dicted frosts.  In  Minnesota  and  the  Dakotas  frost  warnings  were 
issued  during  August  of  the  current  year  to  protect  the  grain,  and 
little  or  no  damage  resulted  where  farmers  used  smudges  to  cover  their 
fields  with  a  dense  smoke  during  the  period  of  anticipated  frost.  In 
the  state  of  Kentucky  alone  nearly  150  frost-warning  stations  were 
established  and  are  now  in  operation  to  protect  the  tobacco  interests 
of  that  state. 


No.  1, 
White  Flag. 


No.  2, 

Blue  Flag. 


No.  3. 

White  and  Blue 
Flag. 


No.  4. 

Black  Triangular 
Flag. 


No,  5. 

White  Flag  with  black 
square  in  centre. 


Clear  or  fair 
weather, 


Rain  or 
Snow. 


WHITE 


Local  Rains. 


Temperature 
signal. 


Cold  Wave. 


Tln».  weather  and  temperature  flags  in  use  by  the  Weather  Bureau  are 
five  in  number:  A  white  flag  to  indicate  fair  weather;  a  blue  flag  for 
rain  or  snow ;  a  white  and  blue  flag,  colors  arranged  horizontally,  white 
above  and  blue  below,  to  indicate  local  rains;  a  triangular  black  flag 


REPORT   OF   CHIEF   OF   THE   WEATHER   BTTREAtt.  13 

is  the  temperature  pennant,  which,  if  lioisted  above  either  of  the  forego- 
ing symbols,  indicates  higher  temperature,  and  if  below,  lowrr  tempera- 
ture :  and  lastly,  the  white  1la«;-  with  black  square  in  center  to  indicate 
cold  waves.  This  latter  flag  is  also  used  as  a  frost  symbol.  This  sys- 
tem of  flags  has  given  universal  satisfaction,  owing  to  its  legibility  and 
simplicity.  The  local  rain  flag  (half  white  and  half  blue)  has  been 
added  since  the  transfer  of  the  Bureau  to  the  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture, and  was  necessary  to  indicate  the  frequent  summer  conditions 
when  local  showers  were  probable  in  agricultural  sections,  and  when 
either  the  white  or  blue  flags  would  be  misleading.  The  purchase  of 
these  flags  was  formerly  at  the  expense  of  the  displayman,  and  con- 
tinues so  to  a  certain  extent,  the  appropriation  for  this  purpose  for  the 
current  year  being  very  limited,  permitting  the  purchase  of  not  to  ex- 
ceed 600  sets  of  flags,  whereas  there  are  double  that  number  of  places 
receiving  daily  forecasts,  with  the  possibility  of  an  increase  to  three 
or  four  times  that  number.  It  is  therefore  necessary  for  many  cities, 
towns,  firms,  or  individuals  to  supply  the  flags  for  display,  the  ex- 
pense for  the  set,  flags  six  feet  square  and  of  good  bunting,  costing 
from  $7.00  to  $7.50.  They  can  be  purchased  from  any  flag  maker 
in  any  of  the  larger  cities  of  the  country,  or  may  be  ordered  through 
the  directors  of  the  several  state  weather  services. 

The  several  methods  of  disseminating  weather  forecasts  and  warn- 
ings at  present  in  vogue  are  by  means  of  flags,  bulletins,  and  station- 
ary steam  whistles;  and  besides  such  forecasts  as  are  telegraphed  at 
Government  expense,  displays  are  made  and  bulletins  are  posted  at 
thousands  of  cities  and  towns  where  this  weather  information  is  re- 
ceived free  over  private  telegraph  and  telephone  lines  and  by  means 
of  the  daily  press. 

RECORDS  DIVISION. 

This  division  was  reorganized  on  July  10,  1891,  with  a  reduction  in 
force  of  about  25  per  cent.  It  has  charge  of  the  receipt  and  compila- 
tion of  all  meteorological  data,  including  the  necessary  correspondence, 
and  the  custody  of  the  meteorological  records  of  this  office.  The 
work  of  this  division  was  continued  substantially  as  previously  per- 
formed, whic'  was  about  as  follows  : 

CHARACTER   OF    WORK. 

1.  Receipt,  care,  and  acknowledgment  of  meteorological  forms  and 
reports  of  whatsoever  character. 

2.  Examination  of  the  more  important  meteorological  reports. 

3.  Preparation  of  statistics  for  the  Monthly  Weather  Review,  the 
annual  reports   of   the   Chief  of  the  Bureau,   the  several  divisions 
and  professors  of  the  central  office,  and  the  public. 

4.  The  preparation  of  reduction  tables  and  normals ;  the  selection, 


14     REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

in  conjunction  with  the  Weather-Crop  Bulletin  and  State  Weather 
Service  Division,  of  voluntary  stations,  and  the  preparation  of  a  brief 
history,  by  card  record,  of  each  meteorological  station. 

The  usual  number  of  meteorological  forms  and  reports  (over  15,000 
monthly)  have  been  received  and  promptly  distributed. 

The  promptness  with  which  the  statistical  work  of  observers  has 
been  performed  is  especially  noteworthy,  in  view  of  the  increased  labor 
naturally  involved  in  extending  the  scope  of  the  Bureau  in  other  lines 
of  activity.  But  most  gratifying  is  the  fact  that  the  voluntary  ob- 
servers, upon  whom  the  Bureau  must  depend  for  a  large  measure  of 
its  success  injclimatological  work,  have  continued  their  active  co-opera- 
tion in  an  unbroken  body.  In  1874,  when  the  Smithsonian  Institution 
transferred  its  climatological  work  to  the  Signal  Service,  a  very  con- 
siderable percentage  of  voluntary  observers  ceased  reporting,  and  in 
less  than  six  years  the  original  number  had  been  reduced  one-half. 
That  the  transfer  of  the  Weather  Bureau  to  the  Department  of  Agri- 
culture, however,  meets  with  the  hearty  approval  of  this  class  of  re- 
porters needs  no  more  striking  demonstration  than  that  afforded  by 
the  continued  co-operation  of  all  the  old  observers,  as  well  as  by  the 
relative  increase  in  new  observers  during  the  three  months  just  passed. 

PREPARATION  OF  STATISTICS. 

Review  tables. — Meteorological  tables  for  use  in  the  preparation  of 
the  Monthly  Weather  Review  have  been  completed  for  July,  and  the 
greater  number  of  those  for  August  are  in  process  of  completion. 

The  table  containing  monthly  results  of  observations  at  the  regular 
stations  has  been  recast  and  enlarged.  The  additional  data  now  pub- 
lished will,  it  is  believed,  be  of  value  in  the  current  work  of  the  office 
as  well  as  to  students  of  meteorology  in  general. 

Annual  report  tables. — Tables  of  monthly  and  annual  mean  tempera- 
ture at  1,954  stations;  monthly  and  average  precipitation  at  2,254  sta- 
tions, all  for  the  calendar  year  1890,  and  a  table  of  first  and  last  kill- 
ing frost  for  the  season  1890-1891,  from  951  stations,  have  been  com- 
pleted for  publication  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Weather  Bureau 
for  1891.  These  tables  are  especially  valuable  in  the  current  work  of 
the  office  and  enable  the  division  to  supply  information  to  the  public 
which  it  would  not  be  possible  otherwise  to  furnish. 

Climatic  data.—  These  have  been  supplied  to  the  officials  of  the  cen- 
tral office  and  to  the  public  in  71  cases  during  the  three  months  just 
past,  of  which  four  cases  were  authenticated  under  the  seal  of  the 
Department,  for  use  as  evidence  in  courts  of  law. 

A  policy  of  the  utmost  liberality,  consistent  with  the  clerical  force 
available  and  the  interests  of  the  General  Government,  has  been  insti- 
tuted with  reference  to  the  amount  of  meteorological  data  which  shall 
!><•  supplied  to  individual  investigators.  The  am'ount  heretofore  fur- 
nished on  a  single  application  has  been  limited  to  what  a  good  clerk 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.      15 

eould  prepare  in  two  hours,  and  while  the  operat  ion  of  the  rule  has  been 
lieiietieial  in  man\  eax-x.  \H  it  lias  doubtless  deterred  main  worthy 
inveMi.uators  tVoin  making  free  use  of  the  abundant  data  in  the  files 
of  tin4  \Veat her  Bureau. 

The  private  investigator  is  always  a  powerful  auxiliary  in  the  devel- 
opment of  each  branch  of  science;  meteorology,  however,  with  its 
intimately  allied  branch,  climatology,  has  been  unfortunate  in  this 
respect,  inasmuch  as  the  great  mass  of  observations  heretofore 
made  are  practically  inaccessible  except  to  a  limited  number  of  per- 
sons in  the  central  office  of  the  Weather  Bureau.  With  a  view,  there- 
fore, of  disseminating  information  as  to  the  nature  and  character 
of  meteorological  observations  already  made,  a  recent  compilation  pre- 
pared by  the  Kecords  Division,  viz.,  "  Index  of  Meteorological  Obser- 
vations in  the  United  States,'7  will  shortly  be  sent  to  the  principal 
stations  of  the  Weather  Bureau  so  that  it  will  be  possible  to  give 
greater  publicity  to  the  material  contained  in  the  records  of  the  office 
than  has  been  possible  heretofore.  Arrangements  are  also  being  made 
by  which  private  investigators  can  make  use  of  our  accumulated  data 
under  such  restrictions  only  as  will  assure  the  integrity  of  our  records. 

VOLUNTARY   OBSERVERS. 

The  voluntary  observers  of  the  Weather  Bureau,  comprising  public- 
spirited  citizens  and  professional  men  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  con- 
tinue to  render  valuable  services  in  observing  and  recording  the  daily 
phenomena  of  the  weather.  The  transfer  of  the  Weather  Bureau  to 
the  Department  of  Agriculture  has  had  no  appreciable  effect  upon  this 
corps  of  observers,  except  to  increase  its  numbers,  the  percentage  of 
increase  during  July  and  August  being  greater  than  at  any  time  dur- 
ing the  year  ending  June  30, 1891,  due  to  the  more  liberal  policy  pur- 
sued regarding  the  issue  of  instruments  in  agricultural  districts  and 
to  the  establishment  of  the  eleven  new  state  and  territorial  state 
weather  services. 

The  gratitude  of  all  thoughtful  persons  is  due  to  these  isolated  ob- 
servers, who,  by  giving  a  portion  of  their  time  to  recording  the  chang- 
ing conditions  of  the  weather,  furnish  what  must  ultimately  yield 
valuable  results,  both  to  themselves  and  to  the  country  in  which  they 
live. 

The  mode  of  procedure  in  establishing  voluntary  stations,  and  in  loan- 
ing Government  instruments,  has  been  radically  altered  within  the  past 
month.  The  essential  feature  of  the  change  from  old  methods  is  in 
granting  Weather  Bureau  observers  in  charge  of  state  centers  authority 
to  establish  new  stations,  or  to  renew  the  equipment  of  old  stations 
whenever  in  their  judgment  the  interests  of  the  service  will  be  sub- 
served by  such  action. 

The  observer  at  the  state  center  is  on  the  ground,  and  is  better  able 
to  keep  in  touch  with  the  needs  of  the  various  sections  of  his  state  than 


16      REPORT  OP  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

the  central  office  at  Washington.  Under  the  new  arrangement,  it  is 
possible  for  him  to  "equip  a  new  station  in  any  part  of  the  state,  or 
territory,  as  the  case  may  be,  within  two  days  at  the  farthest.  A 
broken  instrument  can  be  replaced,  thus  preventing  a  serious  interrup- 
tion in  the  record. 

The  great  majority  of  voluntary  observers  of  the  Weather  Bureau 
are  equipped  with  a  set  of  self-registering  maximum  and  minimum 
thermometers,  from  which  the  daily  extremes  of  temperature  are  ob- 
tained; a  rain-gauge  for  measuring  the  amount  of  rain  or  snow  that 
falls,  and  a  lattice-work  shelter  for  the  thermometers  to  protect  those 
instruments  from  the  direct  or  reflected  rays  of  the  sun,  and  from  the 
effects  of  rain,  snow,  hail,  etc. 

Quite  a  number  of  voluntary  observers  have  been  supplied  with  the 
"dry  and  wet  thermometers  in  addition  to  the  foregoing  instruments, 
and  a  number  are  supplied  with  barometers,  wind  vanes,  anemom- 
eters, etc. 

The  issue  of  other  than  thermometers  and  rain-gauges  by  the 
Weather  Bureau  is  not  advocated,  owing  to  the  great  cost  of  the 
barometers  and  other  instruments,  except  in  rare  cases. 

The  dry  and  wet  thermometer  readings  are  of  great  value  to  the 
agricultural  interests  at  certain  periods  of  the  year  in  foretelling  local 
frosts.  If,  in  the  evening,  the  air  is  dry,  i.  e.,  if  the  wet  thermometer 
reads  considerably  lower  than  the  dry  thermometer,  and  the  latter  in- 
strument shows  readings  as  high  as  50°  or  more,  the  temperature  of 
the  dew-point  would  be,  with  a  difference  of  from  10°  to  12°,  in  the 
neighborhood  of  25°,  and  this  latter  figure  would  show  nearly  the 
temperature  of  the  air  of  the  following  morning,  under  favorable 
weather  conditions,  lack  of  cloudiness  and  absence  of  strong  winds. 

In  a  number  of  states,  notably  Wisconsin  and  Louisiana,  a  rule  was 
established  to  have  all  thermometers  located  in  shelters  at  an  eleva- 
tion of  from  4J  to  5  feet  above  some  grass  plat,  and  where  the  air 
would  circulate  freely,  but  since  no  shelters  are  at  present  furnished 
by  the  .Government  to  these  observers,  and  since  the  cost  of  such  shel- 
ters cannot  be  less  than  from  ten  to  twelve  dollars,  if  made  after  the 
pattern  used  by  the  Weather  Bureau  stations,  a  light,  portable  shelter 
should  be  furnished  them  free,  and  observations  made  from  shelters 
at  uniform  elevations  by  all  voluntary  observers  located  in  agricul- 
tural districts,  and  throughout  the  country,  if  practicable. 

There  are  at  date  probably  2,200  voluntary  observers  in  the  United 
States  reporting  to  this  office,  an  increase  of  about  400  in  the  past 
three  months,  and  steps  are  now  being  taken  to  cover  every  section  of 
each  state  or  territory  in  the  entire  United  States  with  volunteer  sta- 
tions of  observation,  so  as  to  leave  no  section  without  stations  from 
20  to  30  miles  apart.  To  achieve  this  it  will  be  necessary  to  have 
certain  public-spirited  towns  or  individuals  purchase  the  instruments 
and  shelter,  the  cost  of  the  set  of  self- registering  thermometers,  rain- 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.     17 

,  and  shelter  being  in  the  neighborhood  of  twenty  dollars. 
There  are  but  150  sets  of  self-registering  thermometers  on  hand  for 
issue,  and  this  oflice  has  located  nearly  double  that  number  of  places 
from  which  observations  would  be  desirable. 

F.esjdes  the  record  of  temperature  and  rainfall  made  by  the  vol- 
untary observer,  he  records  dates  of  frost,  thunderstorms,  the  charac- 
ter of  the  weather  several  times  daily,  at  stated  honrs,  gives  the  wind 
directions,  with  descriptions  of  various  meteorological  phenomena. 
On  Friday  of  each  week  during  the  growing  season  he  compiles  a  re- 
port showing  the  effect  of  the  weather  upon  the  crops  of  his  section, 
forwarding  such  report  to  the  director  of  the  state  weather  service. 
Many  of  the  voluntary  observers  publish  their  local  records  in  the 
county  papers,  posting  the  daily  records  of  temperature,  rainfall,  etc., 
in  some  prominent  and  conspicuous  place  in  their  city  or  town,  and 
taking  other  occasions  to  give  the  public  the  benefit  of  their  enterprise 
and  work. 

It  is  recommended  that  the  appropriation  for  instruments  for  vol- 
untary observers  during  the  coming  year  embrace  a  full  set  of  ther- 
mometers (dry,  wet,  maximum,  and  minimum,  and  in  certain  cases  the 
terrestrial  radiation  minimum,  the  latter  instrument  to  be  issued  to 
determine  the  difference  between  the  temperature  registered  by  the 
sheltered  minimum  and  that  actually  affecting  plant  life),  a  standard 
rain-gauge  and  an  instrument  shelter,  so  as  to  complete  all  sets  of 
instruments  in  the  hands  of  voluntary  observers,  and  to  loan  to  those 
who  have  purchased  their  own  instruments  the  standard  Government 
instruments.  Such  complete  records,  and  the  more  liberal  policy  of 
the  Agricultural  Department  in  dealing  with  these  most  worthy  ob- 
servers, would  result  in  much  good  to  the  Department. 

Thus  far  the  present  year  258  thermometers  and  93  rain  gauges  have 
been  issued  to  voluntary  observers  as  against  157  thermometers  and  52 
rain  gauges  during  the  corresponding  period  last  year. 

In  addition  to  the  Monthly  Weather  Eeview  and  the  annual  report 
of  the  Weather  Bureau  now  furnished  gratuitously  to  co-operating  ob- 
servers as  a  slight  return  for  their  voluntary  services,  the  Honorable 
Secretary  of  Agriculture  has  authorized  the  issue  of  such  other  publi- 
cations of  the  Department  as  may  be  of  general  interest. 

The  stimulus  to  greater  activity,  and  the  ultimate  increase  in  num- 
bers resulting  from -the  liberal  policy  of  the  Department,  cannot,  how- 
ever, be  measured  in  so  short  a  time  as  has  elapsed  since  the  beginning 
of  the  present  fiscal  year. 

WORKING  INDEX  OF  FOREIGN   METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

IJy  the  completion  of  an  index  of  meteorological  observations  in  the 
United  States,  noted  in  the  last  annual  report  of  the  division,  refer- 
ence to  the  meteorological  data  of  any  state  or  territory  is  quickly  and 
easily  made;  not  so,  however,  when  it  is  desired  to  consult  the  pub- 
2 


18      REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

lished  data  pertaining  to  European  or  other  foreign  countries.  The 
Records  Division  is  frequently  called  upon  to  compile  climatic  statis- 
tics having  reference  to  the  conditions  under  which  certain  fruits  and 
plants  are  successfully  grown  abroad.  In  order,  therefore,  to  meet  the 
growing  demand  for  information  of  this  character  with  a  minimum  ex- 
penditure of  labor,  arrangements  have  been  made  looking  to  the  com- 
pletion at  the  earliest  practicable  date  of  a  working  index  which  will 
show  for  each  of  the  grand  political  divisions  of  the  world,  except  the 
United  States,  the  extent  and  character  of  the  meteorological  obser- 
vations which  have  been  made  therein. 

The  work,  when  completed,  will  also  be  valuable  in  that  it  will  en- 
able the  specialist  to  consult  more  readily  than  heretofore  the  accu- 
mulated data  bearing  upon  the  relation  of  climate  to  crop  production, 
and  thus  contribute  in  a  measure  to  the  general  fund  of  information 
for  the  better  development  and  promotion  of  agricultural  interests. 

In  the  matter  of  climate  as  affecting  health,  the  index  will  also  prove 
to  be  a  valuable  aid  in  the  current  work  of  the  division. 

A  compilation  of  climatic  data  for  southern  European  countries,  in- 
cluding the  Eiviera,  called  for  during  July  of  the  present  year,  has 
shown  that  portions  of  the  United  States  possess  climatic  conditions 
surpassing  in  some  respects  those  of  the  health  resorts  and  sanitaria 
toward  which  travel  has  been  directed  for  a  century.  Little  systematic 
effort  has  been  made,  however,  except  as  to  several  places  on  the  east- 
ern slope  of  the  Eocky  Mountains,  to  place  before  the  American  people 
the  many  advantages  of  a  climate  so  diversified  as  their  own.  Con- 
veniences as  to  travel,  the  advantages  of  association  with  a  kindred 
people,  and  other  equally  cogent  reasons  might  be  adduced  to  show 
the  importance  of  an  examination  of  the  absolute  advantages  pos- 
sessed by  many  places  within  the  United  States. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  this  subject 
will  receive  the  full  treatment  it  so  richly  deserves ;  in  the  meantime, 
however,  the  Weather  Bureau  will  supply  to  interested  persons  infor- 
mation respecting  the  climate  of  any  point  at  which  a  meteorological 
record  has  been  kept. 

The  data  contained  in  the*  monthly  reports  received  each  month  from 
all  classes  of  observers  are  being  arranged  by  elements,  and  classified 
so  as  to  be  immediately  available,  whether  for  brief  reference,  a  full 
examination,  or  for  application  to  various  economic  questions. 

PACIFIC  COAST  DIVISION  OF  THE  WEATHEE  BUEEAU. 

The  weather  service  on  the  Pacific  coast  has  been  enlarged  during  the 
past  three  months  by  the  addition  of  a  number  of  stations  sending  tele- 
graphic reports  to  the  central  station,  and  the  appreciation  of  the  value 
<>f  this  service  by  the  people  is  indicated  by  the  increasing  demand  for 
daily  weather  charts  and  telegraphic  forecasts  from  various  sections  of 
that  coast.  These  warnings  have  already  proved  of  great  value  to  the 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.      19 

fruit  interests,  especially  in  the  raisin  district,  where  damage  to  raisins 
in  process  of  drying  was  largely  averted  by  timely  warning  of  the  ap- 
proaching rains. 

Special  studies  are  being  made  of  the  peculiarities  of  the  climate  of 
the  Pacific  coast,  with  a  view  of  improving  and  extending  the  forecasts 
of  that  region.  Arrangements  have  been  made  for  the  receipt  and 
distribution  of  special  telegraphic  reports  of  rainfall  throughout  Cali- 
fornia during  the  rainy  season  for  the  benefit  of  the  commercial  and 
agricultural  interests. 

To  meet  the  demands  of  the  commercial  interests,  weather  reports 
from  Point  Reyes  Light,  Tatoosh  Island,  Neah  Bay,  and  Port  Angeles 
are  published  in  a  number  of  daily  shipping  papers  of  San  Francisco, 
an  arrangement  which  brings  the  information  before  a  large  number  of 
people  with  the  least  expense  and  the  least  delay.  Special  display 
stations  for  weather  and  storm  signals  have  been  opened  at  Glallam 
Bay,  Grays  Harbor,  Port  Gamble,  and  Port  Ludlow. 

To  assure  complete  and  accurate  vessel  reports  for  the  information  of 
the  shipping  interests  of  San  Francisco,  the  weather  station  at  Point 
Reyes  Light  has  been  more  fully  equipped  for  the  display  of  signals  of 
the  international  code. 

The  high  appreciation  of  the  work  of  the  weather  service  by  the  gen- 
eral public  on  the  Pacific  coast  is  an  indication  of  its  usefulness,  and  it 
is  believed  that  the  special  investigations  which  are  now  being  made 
will  not  only  result  in  increased  accuracy  of  forecasts,  but  will  extend 
their  usefulness  to  localities  and  interests  which  have  not  previously 
been  benefited  through  the  work  of  this  service. 

The  weekly  weather-crop  bulletins  issued  for  California  and  Oregon 
have  been  the  means  of  furnishing  to  the  people  of  that  coast  accurate 
reports  of  crops  during  their  growth,  and  have  furnished  to  the  country 
at  large,  through  telegrams  from  the  state  centers  to  this  office,  infor- 
mation which  has  been  given  the  general  public  in  the  weather-crop 
bulletin  of  this  service. 

RIVER  AND  FLOOD  SERVICE. 

The  work  in  charge  of  the  River  and  Flood  Room  of  the  Weather 
Bureau  is  as  follows: 

1.  The  prediction  of  river  stages  daily  for  various  places  in  the 
country. 

2.  The  improvement  of  the  rules  according  to  which  river  predic- 
tions are  made,  by  means  of  investigations  based  on  records  of  river 
stages  and  rainfall. 

3.  The  supervision  of  observers,  the  viseing  of  forms  received  from 
stations,  the  correspondence  relating  to  river  work  at  110  river  stations 
and  50  special  rainfall  stations  throughout  the  country,  the  opening  of 
new  stations,  the  answering  of  inquiries  regarding  river  stages,  etc. 


20      REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

4.  The  classification  of  type-maps  of  isobars  and  isotherms  preced 
ing  great  areas  of  rainfall. 

Telegraphic  reports  of  the  stages  of  rivers  at  26  places  are  received 
daily  in  the  morning  meteorological  reports  from  Weather  Bureau 
stations.  Predictions  of  stages  for  points  on  the  rivers  below  the 
places  are  made  from  these  reports,  based  on  what  has  occurred  in  pre- 
vious cases  at  points  lower  down,  as  shown  by  the  records  of  river 
stages.  The  river  and  flood  system  includes  the  Mississippi  River  and 
its  tributaries,  the  Savannah,  and  the  Potomac. 

In  most  instances  when  the  rivers  are  at  a  medium  or  low  stage  the 
predictions  are  very  general,  such  as,  "The  rivers  will  rise,"  "The 
rivers  will  fall,"  or  "  The  rivers  will  remain  about  stationary.77  Some- 
times the  rivers  or  the  parts  of  rivers  in  which  changes  of  stage  are 
expected  are  designated  in  a  general  way,  as  "  The  upper  Ohio  will 
rise,  the  Missouri  and  the  lower  Mississippi  will  fall,77  etc.  When  the 
rivers  are  near  flood  stages  definite  predictions  of  expected  stages  are 
made  according  to  definite  rules  that  have  been  prepared. 

Special  studies  have  been  inaugurated  with  a  view  of  determining 
more  exact  rules  between  the  discharge  and  the  stage  of  the  rivers  at 
various  points,  and  thereby  to  make  the  flood  forecasts  of  this  service 
more  accurate.  A  special  study  of  weather  types  is  also  being  pur- 
sued for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  meteorological  conditions 
which  are  likely  to  be  followed  by  extensive  and  heavy  rainfalls  over 
the  drainage  basins  where  floods  are  likely  to  occur.  It  is  believed 
that  in  this  way  some  improvement  can  be  made,  not  only  in  the  gen- 
eral forecast  of  rain,  but  also  in  the  forecasts  of  probable  extent  and 
severity  of  floods. 

TELEGRAPH  SERVICE. 

The  Telegraph  Service  of  the  Weather  Bureau  is  charged  with  the 
maintenance  and  operation  of  the  United  States  Seacoast  Telegraph 
Lines,  and  the  auditing  and  settlement  of  all  accounts  for  line  receipts 
in  connection  therewith ;  also  with  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  tele- 
graphing of  weather  reports,  forecasts,  wind-signal  orders,  cold-wave 
and  frost  warnings;  the  auditing  of  the  bills  of  the  various  telegraph 
and  telephone  companies  for  telegraphing  and  telephoning  messages 
and  reports  of  all  kinds;  and  the  preparation  of  all  forms  necessary  in 
connection  witli  such  reports  and  the  seacoast  telegraph  lines. 

Since  July  1,  1891,  the  work  of  the  Telegraph  Department  has  been 
largely  increased  by  the  additional  reports  furnished  to  local  fore- 
<  ;IM  stations,  and  the  enlarged  distribution  of  general  and  local  fore- 
casts and  warnings,  together  with  the  increased  correspondence  and 
auditing  incident  thereto. 

Telegrams  have  in  several  instances  been  changed  to  new  and  more 
direct  routes,  thus  shortening  the  time  of  transmission  and  delivery. 

The  new,  heavily-armored  cable  connecting  Tatoosh  Island  with 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.      21 

Cape  Flattery,  Wash.,  was  successfully  laid  July  21,  and  the  entire 
reconstruction  of  the  land  line  to  Port  Angeles  completed  August  (j. 
Tatoosh  Island  was  reopened  MS  a  full  meteorological  and  vessel  report- 
ing station,  and  two  intermediate  repair  stations  were  established  at 
Port  Crescent  and  Clallam  Bay.  The  restoration  of  this  line  is  of  great 
importance  to  the  maritime  interests  of  the  north  Pacific  coast,  both 
as  regards  the  telegraphing  of  vessel  reports  from  Tatoosh  Island  and 
the  value  of  the  meteorological  reports  furnished  from  that  station. 

An  independent  wire  has  been  provided  from  the  Weather  Bureau 
office  at  San  Francisco  to  the  cable  at  Fort  Point,  thus  obviating  the 
necessity  of  using  a  portion  of  the  military  line  in  communicating  with 
Point  Reyes. 

The  cable  across  the  mouth  of  Chesapeake  Bay  from  Cape  Henry  to 
Cape  Charles,  which  was  broken  by  an  anchor  in  April  last,  was  re- 
paired during  the  latter  part  of  July  under  the  personal  supervision  of 
the  Superintendent  of  Telegraph  Lines,  a  matter  of  considerable  local 
interest. 

Extensive  general  repairs  have  been  arranged  for  the  Hatteras 
section,  which  will  include  the  stringing  of  70  miles  of  new  wire  and 
the  erection  of  820  new  wooden  poles.  When  this  work  is  completed 
this  important  section  will  be  in  a  very  efficient  state  of  repair. 

On  the  Nautucket  section  100  new  wooden  poles  have  been  contracted 
for  to  supply  an  existing  deficiency  on  Naushon  Island. 

INSTRUMENT  ROOM. 

1.  The  Instrument  Room  is  charged  with  the  issue  of  instruments 
and  accessories,  except  rain  gauges,  to  all  the  regular  and  voluntary 
observers  of  the  Weather  Bureau,  and  has  supervision  and  control  of 
the  exposure  of  instruments  at  regular  Weather  Bureau  stations;  the 
location  and  erection  of  instrument  shelters,  supports,  etc.,  and  all  modi- 
fications made  incident  to  changes  or  removals  of  offices.    Under  this 
item  is  included  the  packing  and  other  similar  preparation  for  ship- 
ment of  the  delicate  thermometers,  barometers,  and  all  other  instru- 
ments issued;  also  the  keeping  of  a  complete  and  accurate  record  of 
the  issue  and  location  of  each  instrument  passing  through  the  room. 

The  forms  and  automatic  record  sheets  from  stations  using  self- 
recording  instruments  are  critically  examined  and  inspected  by  skilled 
assistants  in  this  room,  with  a  view  to  detecting  errors  in  records  and 
imperfections  in  the  performance  of  the  various  instruments. 

2.  The  purchase,  through  the  Accounts  Division,  of  all  instruments 
and  supplies  and  accessories  thereto. 

3.  All  correspondence  incident  to  the  performance  of  the   above 
duties  is  conducted  within  the  room. 

4.  The  testing  and  inspection  of  all  supplies,  including  extended 
tests  of  special  self- registering  instruments;  the  reconstruction  of  ba- 
rometers and  refilling  of  tubes;  the  comparison  of  thermometers  and 


22      REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

barometers  with  office  standards,  and  the  determination  and  tabulation 
of  all  corrections  for  instrumental  errors. 

5.  The  Instrument  Koom  has  supervision  of  the  machine  shop  for  the 
necessary  alteration  and  repair  of  various  meteorological  instruments, 
instrument  supports,  etc. 

6.  This  room  has  charge  of  all  the  standard  instruments  of  the 
Weather  Bureau,  and  maintains  in  continuous  operation  a  large  num- 
ber of  special  self-recording  meteorological  instruments  arranged  for 
exhibit. 

7.  The  Instrument  Eoom   is  constantly  engaged  upon  special  ex- 
perimental studies  respecting  both  the  development  of  new  instru- 
ments for  special  purpose  or  the  alteration  and  improvement  of  those 
now  in  use,  and  also  the  study  and  original  experimental  research  in 
connection  with  meteorological  questions  of  special  importance. 

In  anticipation  of  the  extension  of  the  service  since  July  1,  and  the 
increase  in  the  number  of  voluntary  stations  for  climatic  study,  early 
action  has  been  taken  to  provide  a  proper  supply  of  instruments  and 
accessories.  In  a  few  special  cases  of  importance  the  Instrument 
Room  has  furnished  complete  equipments  of  instruments,  such  as  are 
used  at  regular  second  order  stations.  The  limited  supply  of  these 
sets,  together  with  their  cost  and  the  insufficiency  of  appropriations, 
makes  it  possible  to  supply  only  a  very  few  observers  outside  of  the 
regular  stations. 

The  short  time  since  the  1st  of  July  has  been  largely  occupied  with 
routine  work,  and  particularly  the  duties  incident  to  the  purchase 
of  annual  supplies,  etc.  Various  improvements,  however,  have  been 
made  in  respect  to  some  of  the  instruments,  particularly  the  self- 
recording  rain-gauges,  rain-gauge  supports,  nephoscopes,  and  experi- 
ments are  now  in  progress  looking  to  the  construction  of  a  new  form 
and  greatly  improved  sunshine  recorder. 

MONTHLY  WEATHER  REVIEW. 

The  Monthly  Weather  Review  is  based  upon  monthly  meteorological 
reports  received  from  an  average  of  nearly  2,000  regular  and  voluntary 
observers  of  the  Weather  Bureau,  miscellaneous  reports,  correspond- 
ence, the  daily  press,  and  from  other  reliable  sources.  An  average  of 
over  300  marine  reports  is  received  monthly  through  the  co-operation 
of  the  Hydrographic  Office,  Navy  Department,  and  the  data  contained 
therein  are  plotted  on  charts  of  the  North  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  are 
summarized  under  the  heading  "North  Atlantic  storms"  in  the  Review. 
This  publication  summarizes  the  meteorological  conditions  and  the 
more  prominent  characteristics  of  the  weather  over  the  United  States 
and  Canada  for  each  month,  and  is  mailed  to  co-operating  observers 
throughout  the  world.  It  is  at  present  edited  by  a  board  which  has 
been  directed  to  make  successive  improvements  in  every  direction  in 
which  it  may  be  found  advisable  in  the  interests  of  the  service.  Be- 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.      23 

ginning  with  the  time  of  transfer  of  the  Bureau,  the  briefer  studies 
of  the  scientific  force  are  printed  in  the  Keview. 

LIBBAEY. 

In  addition  to  the  ordinary  work  connected  with  the  conduct  of  a 
library,  the  librarian  is  charged  with  continuing  the  preparation  of 
the  general  bibliography  of  meteorology,  the  compilation  of  which  was 
begun  in  1884. 

The  total  number  of  titles  now  on  hand,  in  the  shape  of  a  card  cata- 
logue, is  about  60,000;  these  titles  are  arranged  in  over  200  classes 
and  have  complete  author  index,  so  that  the  catalogue  is  convenient 
for  ready  reference. 

It  is  expected  that  the  catalogue  may  be  very  materially  enlarged 
during  the  present  fiscal  year  and  that  an  appropriation  may  be  made 
available  for  its  publication  so  as  to  greatly  increase  its  usefulness. 

INTERNATIONAL  CONFERENCE  OF  METEOROLOGISTS. 

In  accordance  with  your  instructions  I  left  the  United  States  on 
August  13,  accompanied  by  Professor  Abbe,  in  order  to  attend  the 
Conference  about  to  be  held  at  Munich  of  representatives  of  Weather 
Bureaus  of  different  countries  of  the  world  ;  in  this  connection,  also,  a 
hurried  visit  was  paid  to  the  central  bureaus  at  Hamburg,  Munich, 
Vienna,  Berlin,  Paris,  and  London.  Over  a  portion  of  our  route  we 
were  accompanied  by  Mr.  A.  Lawrence  Rotch,  the  director  of  the  Blue 
Hill  Observatory,  and  also  by  Brigadier-General  A.  W.  Greely,  Chief 
Signal  Officer.  The  presence  at  the  Conference  of  four  delegates  from 
the  United  States  was  the  occasion  of  many  congratulatory  expressions 
as  showing  that  the  United  States  had  no  disposition  to  hold  aloof 
from  these  important  meetings,  and  our  intercourse  during  the  week 
spent  at  Munich,  as  well  as  during  the  subsequent  visits  to  the  re- 
spective bureaus,  has,  we  believe,  served  to  arouse  a  lively  interest  in, 
and  a  more  intelligent  appreciation  of,  the  work  that  is  being  under- 
taken in  Washington.  In  some  respects  the  numerous  resolutions 
adopted  by  the  Conference  urging  uniformity  in  meteorological  methods 
were  modified  so  as  to  recognize  the  fact  that  the  methods  in  use  in 
tliis  country  would  be  acceptable  to  European  meteorologists  even 
though  they  differed  from  those  considered  proper  in  Europe.  A 
permanent  international  meteorological  committee  was  appointed  to 
superintend  the  execution  of  the  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Congress 
and  to  provide  for  the  convening  of  another  similar  Congress  at  some 
distant  date,  and  the  fact  that  the  Chief  of  the  Weather  Bureau  was 
made  not  only  Vice-President  of  the  Conference,  but  also  a  member  of 
this  permanent  International  Committee,  will  demonstrate  to  you  the 
appreciation  in  which  our  service  is  held  by  foreign  meteorologists. 

Among  the  resolutions  adopted  by  the  Conference  I  note  especially, 


24      REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

first,  oue  to  the  effect  that  the  subject  of  terrestrial  magnetism  is  com- 
mended to  the  attention  of  national  weather  bureaus  when  not  other- 
wise specifically  provided  for  in  each  country;  second,  that  the  ex- 
posure of  rain- gauges  on  the  roofs  of  large  buildings  is  not  objection- 
able if  they  are  located  near  the  center  of  the  roof.  With  regard  to 
the  heights  of  clouds  and  their  more  minute  study  a  special  committee 
was  appointed  which  has,  as  I  am  informed,  already  secured  about 
thirty  stations  at  which  the  frequent  determination  of  cloud  heights 
and  velocities  will  be  made;  the  same  committee  will  also  superintend 
the  publication  of  a  new  cloud-atlas  exemplifying  a  new  system  of 
nomenclature.  A  special  committee  was  appointed  to  prepare  a  de- 
tailed report  on  the  relations  of  meteorology  to  agriculture.  This  lat- 
ter subject  occupied  much  of  our  time  and  thoughts  during  our  rapid 
run  over  Europe,  and  in  fact  it  has  been  deeply  impressed  upon  every 
one's  attention  by  reason  of  the  short  crops  in  Europe  and  the  abundant 
crops  of  the  United  States  during  the  present  season.  We  found  the 
north  of  Europe  still  suffering  from  cloudy,  cold,  and  wet  weather  up  to 
the  1st  of  September,  and  although  during  the  first  half  of  September 
we  enjoyed  dry,  clear  weather  in  southern  Germany,  Austria,  France, 
and  England,  yet  the  crops  were  backward  and  deficient.  Some  of  the 
European  weather  bureaus,  notably  those  of  Saxony,  Bavaria,  Austro- 
Hungary,  and  France,  are  seeking  methods  by  which  to  make  them- 
selves useful  to  the  agricultural  interests.  Each  of  these  has  a  num- 
ber of  correspondents  who  pay  an  annual  sum  for  the  privilege  of  re- 
ceiving daily  predictions  of  the  coming  weather;  at  present  these  pre- 
dictions are  of  a  general  character,  but  in  Saxony  and  Bavaria  the 
study  of  local  thunderstorms  and  hail  has  progressed  sufficiently  to 
warrant  them  in  predicting  the  general  path  of  the  thunderstorm  with 
its  growth  and  decay,  when  its  existence  has  been  once  established  at 
any  time  during  the  day.  Doubtless  a  similar  result  can  be  attained 
in  the  United  States  or  in  any  portion  thereof  whenever  a  network  of 
thunderstorm  observers,  at  an  average  distance  of  five  miles,  can  be 
secured,  and  the  efforts  made  in  this  direction  in  former  years  by  the 
co-operation  of  General  Hazen  and  the  Post- Office  Department  deserve 
to  be  renewed. 

Another  aspect  of  the  question  as  to  the  relations  of  the  weather 
bureaus  to  agriculture  is  suggested  by  the  work  undertaken  at  forestry 
and  agricultural  stations  in  Europe.  The  short  time  at  our  disposal 
allowed  us  to  visit  only  one  agricultural  station,  namely,  the  establish- 
ment of  Sir  John  Lawes,  Baronet,  Rothamsted,  Herpendon,  Herts,  where, 
under  the  special  supervision  of  Dr.  Miller,  there  is  still  being  carried 
on  the  great  system  of  agricultural  experiments  that  was  begun  there 
by  Sir  John  Lawes  fifty  years  ago;  it  is  a  pleasure  to  be  able  to 
record  that  Sir  John  has,  by  a  special  clause  in  his  will,  provided 
for  the  maintenance  of  this  work  during  all  future  time.  Of  course 
the  results  attained  in  the  climate  of  Rothamsted  cannot  be  directly 


REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU.      25 

applied  to  the  climate  of  any  part  of  the  United  States,  and  indeed  the 
same  may  be  said  of  the  results  attained  in  the  special  climate  of  any 
other  locality,  and  this  brings  me  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the 
study  of  climate  has,  in  general,  been  prosecuted  by  European  meteor- 
ologists to  an  extent  and  to  a  degree  of  refinement  that  is  not  yet 
attained  in  America,  and  perhaps  scarcely  appreciated  by  us.  Thus, 
wo  speak  of  the  climate  of  a  state  whereas  we  should  speak  of  the 
climates  within  the  state  and  of  the  climate  of  a  special  farm  or  even 
of  a  small  field,  because  each  individual  plant  prospers  or  languishes 
according  as  the  temperature  and  moisture  of  its  own  locality  is  favor- 
able or  not;  thus,  an  eminent  climatologist,  criticising  the  location  of 
some  instruments  on  a  rise  of  ground  and  amid  trees,  possibly  an  hun- 
dred feet  above  the  surrounding  plain,  objected  that  these  instruments 
could  not  represent  properly  the  climate  of  the  surrounding  country, 
but  that  they  should  have  been  placed  in  the  open,  flat  fields  near  at 
hand.  If  this  person  be  correct  it  is  evident  that  the  demands  of 
agricultural  climatology  are  very  different  from  those  of  dynamic 
meteorology  or  the  study  and  prediction  of  daily  weather,  and  it  will 
be  an  important  result  of  our  European  journey  if  we  shall  have  received 
a  decided  stimulus  in  the  direction  of  minute  climatology. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Professor  Mascart  and  his  assistants,  Messrs. 
Angot  and  Teisserenc  de  Bort,  we  were  enabled  to  make  a  detailed 
examination  of  the  meteorological  station  that  crowns  the  summit  of 
the  Eifel  tower,  and  the  very  interesting  results  obtained  at  this  loca- 
tion make  it  desirable  that  similar  use  should  be  made  of  the  tower 
that  is  proposed  to  be  erected  in  connection  with  the  Columbian  Expo- 
sition at  Chicago;  it  is  only  by  means  of  stations  on  such  towers  and 
on  mountain  tops  that  we  may  hope  to  understand  the  motions  going 
on  within  the  atmosphere. 

The  international  bibliography  of  meteorology,  as  begun  by  General 
Hazen  and  published  in  part  by  General  Greely ,  seems  to  have  attracted 
the  greatest  interest  among  European  students,  as  it  attempts  to  satisfy 
a  want  that  has  long  been  recognized.  We  were  so  fortunate  as  to  enjoy 
a  prolonged  interview  with  Dr.  Hellmann,  at  Berlin,  and  Mr.  Symous, 
in  London,  the  two  Europeans  who  have  probably  done  the  most  work 
in  connection  with  the  bibliography  of  meteorology.  Evidently  the 
general  sentiment  in  Europe  is  to  the  effect  that  the  work  thus  far 
;loue  by  the  Signal  Office  is  too  important  to  be  left  unfinished,  and 
that  the  interests  of  meteorology  and  of  climatology  alike  demand  that 
the  Weather  Bureau  shall  publish  the  complete  work  in  proper  style 
after  obtaining  from  European  co-laborers  all  possible  corrections  to  the 
manuscript  that  has  already  been  inilleographed. 

THE  USE  OF  OUR  DATA. 

The  enormous  accumulation  of  meteorological  records  nqw  in  the 
Weather  Bureau  affords  an  opportunity  for  climatal  and  other  special 


26      REPORT  OF  CHIEF  OF  THE  WEATHER  BUREAU. 

studies  and  investigations  which  should  be  utilized  to  the  greatest  de- 
gree possible.  We  have  now  the  observations  for  the  twenty  years  during 
which  the  meteorological  work  was  in  the  charge  of  the  Signal  Service 
and  also  those  for  many  years  before  when  in  the  charge  of  the  Smith- 
sonian Institution.  I  propose  to  utilize  these  data  by  special  studies 
by  the  proper  officers  of  the  Bureau.  Several  studies  of  this  sort  are 
now  under  way  and  others  are  being  organized.  But  I  believe  that  we 
should  pursue  no  exclusive  policy  in  the  treatment  of  our  records. 
They  should  be  thrown  open  to  all  students  of  meteorology,  who  are 
competent  to  use  them,  subject  only  to  such  restrictions  as  will  preserve 
them  from  injury.  I  recommend  that  meteorologists  be  invited  to  make 
use  of  them  in  the  Bureau.  Space  can  be  found  for  a  limited  number 
of  such  students  and  the  necessary  guidance  and  oversight  given  them. 

RELATIONS  TO  THE  AGRICULTURAL   COLLEGES  AND  EX- 
PERIMENT  STATIONS. 

At  the  Conference  of  Agricultural  Colleges  and  Agricultural  Experi- 
ment Stations  held  in  Washington  in  August,  I  proposed  that  these 
institutions  should  constitute  themselves  meteorological  stations  of  the 
first  order,  devoted  to  climatological  work,  and  to  special  studies  of 
the  relations  between  animals,  plants,  and  climate.  I  also  had  the 
pleasure  of  offering  to  these  institutions  the  services  of  the  Bureau  in 
every  practicable  way.  The  discussion  which  followed  showed  great 
interest  in  the  work  of  the  Bureau  and  resulted  in  the  following  reso- 
lution: 

Resolved,  That  in  the  future  extension  and  development  of  the  Weather  Bureau  in 
the  interests  of  agriculture,  the  Bureau  should  organize  and  assist  in  maintaining  a  study 
of  climatology  in  its  relations  to  farming,  in  co-operation  with  the  agricultural  colleges 
and  stations,  and  that  the  sphere  of  this  work  should  be  enlarged  to  include  the  physics, 
conditions,  and  changes  of  agricultural  soils. 

The  first  part  of  this  resolution  is  in  entire  accord  with  the  present 
policy  of  the  Bureau.  The  second  part  of  the  resolution  introduces  a 
subject  entirely  new  to  the  work  of  the  Bureau.  The  propriety  of 
calling  on  us  for  such  work,  in  the  opinion  of  the  framers  of  this  reso- 
lution, probably  lies  in  the  fact  that  the  physics  of  the  soil  is  largely 
dependent  on  its  weathering.  It  is  a  subject  of  the  highest  agricul- 
tural importance,  but  it  would  perhaps  be  advisable  to  confine  imme- 
diate efforts  at  co-operation  to  the  work  at  present  in  charge  of  the 
Weather  Bureau,  deferring  consideration  of  the  feasibility  of  the 
important  work  contemplated  by  the  second  clause  of  the  resolution 
until  a  thorough  system  of  the  co-operation  upon  the  present  basis  be 
fully  perfected. 

O 


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34  1922 


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